Opinions please? I have a friend who works out and eats well but cannot lose weight easily. Her doctor told her it is because she is in perimenopause. She has been doing research and read a book by Suzanne Somers and it explains how sometimes when your hormones are depleted ( I don't remember exactly how she explained it to me) and your estrogen is really high it is almost impossible tolsoe weight , plus you always feel tired and bloated, etc. She is looking into going to a doctor that will put her on hormones, but not synthetic ones. They would be custom made for her by a pharmacist that compounds them in another State. Lots of money to be laid out here. I was wondering if anyone heard of anyone that has done this? Im starting to think that maybe that is my problem.

I think there's a place for it, certainly. Unbalanced hormones can wreak havoc on all the body's systems, not just weight. And it's called "the change" for a good reason! Some women have absolute misery with it, and some don't. As long as the medical professional she's working with has plenty of experience and can tailor the hormones specifically to your friend's situation, sure - go for it. One of my friends needed hormonal support for about four years til things settled down. Her doctor did hair analysis and 24-hour urine tests along with bloodwork to find out what her baseline was, and then required monitoring bloodwork every two months. I haven't run into anything that screams for it yet, but I have no qualms about seeking help when/if the time comes.

I am not in menopause yet, and neither is my friend. She just feels the perimenopause state is where she is at, and that is contributing to her inability to lose weight. She does all the right things and has had no weight loss . Thyroid has been tested, as well as basic hormone tests to see if she is in "peri" which she is. I hate taking anything, and messing with hormones scare me, but its certainly something to look into.